NCAAs: Jenkins, Taylor slowed in 60-57 loss to Wisconsin

ALBUQUERQUE – Vanderbilt guard John Jenkins and forward Jeffery Taylor were the SEC’s two leading scorers this season, averaging more than 36 points between them.

But to the nation’s leading scoring defense, there is evidently no challenge too big.

Wisconsin limited Jenkins to 13 points and Taylor to nine, and more importantly held the pair to a combined 7-of-25 shooting from the field and 3-of-14 from 3-point range, in the Badgers’ 60-57 win on Saturday night at The Pit in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32.

It marked the first time since Jan. 24 vs. Tennessee – a stretch of 15 games in between – in which Jenkins did not hit at least three 3-pointers after going 2-of-9. It also marked his second lowest scoring output of the season (he had 11 in a Dec. 17 loss to Indiana State).

After the season-ending loss for the Commodores, Jenkins and Taylor discussed their games.

John Jenkins

On having an off day shooting …

“Well, people who are going to shoot have off days, and it was one of mine today, unfortunately. I wanted to keep playing. I didn’t want to give up on it.”

On the last pass from Lance Goulbourne that was intended for him before being deflected …

“The last play, I think the ball got tipped. My back was turned, so I didn’t see the end of it. I think the ball got tipped, and that was it.”

On how much Wisconsin’s defense had to do with his off day …

“For myself, I got a lot of good looks – better than I had even last game (against Harvard) probably. I just wasn’t knocking down shots. They were in our (faces) but we had a lot of good looks. We just didn’t knock them down.”

On coming back after trailing 53-44 with just over six minutes …

“Our guys, we never lose hope no matter how bad it is. We know there is always, with the will, we can come back. We came back and even had the lead at one point. Then they made a shot and that was it.

On fighting on uphill battle all game …

“Foul trouble really got to us in the first half. I got in foul trouble and I never get in foul trouble. Jeff got in foul trouble. Brad (Tinsley) got in foul trouble. Those are our three main guards in foul trouble and we’re not used to that at all. It kind of made us stagnant a little bit and we had to watch what we were doing, and then that kind of hurt us, too.

“I had one charging call I shouldn’t have did. It was obviously a charge. I don’t remember the other guys’ charges, but I know there were charges. But we can’t control what the refs do. We just have to play the game.”

Jeffery Taylor

On getting out of sync with early foul trouble …

Anytime you have to go sit on the bench and you don’t get a chance to get into any kind of rhythm, it’s frustrating. Some of the calls (were tough), but that’s life. You win with class. You lose with dignity. You don’t blame it on anybody.”

On his shooting …

“I think it was more a matter of the ball not going in. All of my shots pretty much felt good. They were just a little bit short or a little bit too long. Things like that happen in basketball. The ball isn’t always going to bounce your way, but I felt like I got really good looks.”

On the team’s second-half comebacks to take a 57-56 lead …

“For any team to beat us, it was going to be tough and they were going to have to make a lot of plays. They just made a couple of more plays down the stretch as we did.”

About The Author

Jeff Lockridge

I have been on the Vanderbilt beat since 2009, at The Tennessean since 2000 and a sports journalist since 1997. Prior to Vanderbilt, I covered primarily high schools from 2000-09. My reporting history also includes stints covering the Titans, Auburn and minor league baseball. I'm a Nashville native and a graduate of Overton High (1993) and Austin Peay (1997). I live in Fr